Its Time Ti-Rol Out!

Saturday morning we woke up at 10:30 so we would not miss our free breakfast downstairs.

Matt and I threw on jeans and went down stairs, which is a café that everyone is welcome to, but guests eat free, we were taken to a back room that had tables already set for guests with cereal, milk, rolls, and jellies. We ordered hot chocolate, and dug in. The server brought over cake also, a country that openly eats cake for breakfast? This is awesome!

One thing I have noticed is everyone is really nice but the service in a restaurant is much different from the states, the server rarely comes around because they think they are bothering you, and it takes FOREVER to get anything you ask for. But the food is pretty good.

Then we went back to sleep. I set my alarm for 11:30 but hit snooze a few times, before I was woken up by a woman coming in to change our garbage. I needed to get up anyway.

I also took some more pictures of the Hostel, kitchen, toilet (with random baby picture behind it) and Matt in our miniature shower! I have no idea how Austrians shower like this.

So today we walked the city! Our first priority was to set up cell phones. Matt: Success! Megan: FAIL! I am going to wait and see the best deal I can get because I do not have a phone compatible with the sim cards here. I do have my ipod so whenever I can steal wifi, I do.

Then we started walking around and taking it all in. The great thing about Innsbruck is the window displays, everything in the window is listed at the bottom, with the price! Which saved me going into about 10 stores because I am not paying 320 Euro for a coat.

We eventually stumbled upon the Inn River. AHH!!!! It is just like all the pictures on google!! And there was a man fly-fishing! The water was sooo clear, people were everywhere, even eating outside, in the 32 degree weather!

Which reminds me, yes it is 32 but it does not feel that cold, there is no wind, my theory is the mountains block it out, but it makes such a difference!

We took pictures all day long so here are some more..

Oh and we found this along the way! MegaN!!

Another thing I LOVE about Innsbruck is how dog friendly it is. Dogs are allowed in stores, gas stations, restaurants, the mall, everything! The majority of them are not even on leashes. Every dog I have seen so far has been so well trained. I snapped a picture of this guy because he reminded me of Tucker!

Then we decided to find the H&M, we found Sill Park, which is the mall here, we both made some great purchases. I found an amazing jacket, two hair bows, and a bracelet and only spent 40 Euro!

I also found something interesting. There is no longer an excuse for european men in banana hammocks, I have proof that the do sell swim trunks! Yes they are hideous, but they exist!!

This is for Steven, I had to take a picture! haha

Next we stopped by a convenience store to get some food because nothing is open here on Sundays, it is like a family day, so only a few restaurants and one grocery store across town is open.

The stores here do not give you bags, you have to bring one with you or pay for a paper bag. Matt and I came prepared. No worries!! Or Passt as the Austrians say!

We went back to the hostel and then to McDonalds again for the internet, which was down. So the man hunt for internet began, took about an hour and ultimately ended at McDonalds, where the wifi was now working.

But in the mean time we took more pictures, haha

We didn’t do much that night, we wanted to catch up on sleep. Nathan came over for a little while and Matt made some pasta and tea, and we fell asleep!

We Are Theives

Our hostel is right across from the “Golden Roof” or Goldenes Dachl and in the middle of the city, adorable.

I am not sure how old this building is but I will find out. We have to unlock three separate doors to get to our room, which is not numbered but named, Felix.


And the doors are hardcore thick old wooden doors with metal locks, I feel like I am living in the past in this building. I love it, Matt and I wish we could just stay here for the six months.

We got the bags inside and I was starving since I had not eaten since Chick-Fil-A. We found a little bar and walked to the very back. You more than likely seat yourself here, I am pretty sure they do not bother hiring a hostess and they all have smoking and non-smoking sections. Also, you may not see a waitress for 15 minutes after being seated, they do not have sections like in the states, they just have to realize you are there. She eventually came around and took our order, which was difficult, if not for Johanna I have no idea what we would have done, the entire menu was in German.

I ordered a Cheeseburger that had pineapple and cheese on it, it came with pickles on the side too, the pickles were great and the burger was delicious!

We made our way over the McDonalds so I could steal internet and tell every one that I got here safely, there was a very creepy man in there, an employee, that kept staring Matt and I down. I have a feeling they don’t want us using the internet unless we buy something… noted. I considered grabbing the dirty tray next to me so it looked like I ate already but I didn’t want the Austrians to think I was weird.

We went back to the hostel I took an hour nap, super intense, best nap I ever got with a cold medicine, except without the cold or the medicine.

Later we met up with Johanna, and Matt’s friend Nathan, that has lived here for a year and a half and teaches English to Austrian students, and went over to an Irish pub. They had JACK! YES! I was worried haha. We had a few drinks, talked, took some pictures, and called it a night.

Well, kind of, we all went to McDonalds for some food and they have curly fries here!!! And they come with this sour cream sauce that is amaaaaazinggg, they also do not have sweet tea but a peach tea that is great. Do not expect ice though. When I asked Johanna about the ice situation her response was, it is cold enough already. HA The menus here are also a little different, image wise, they are super clear and mostly pictures...

Matt, Nathan, and I ended up consumed in “The Stuff White People Like”, and “Dirty German” until 3am. Matt made some mint tea in that process and I blame him for the unexpected energy.


More to come, tschuss!

Fresh Off the Runway

I decided to start packing two days before I left for six months. I am a genius, I know. It wasn’t too difficult but I was literally packing until my mom threw my things into the car.

This was the pre stages of packing

I also got some of the super sweet vacuum bags. You shove as many things as you possible can into them

and then suck all of the air out with a vacuum. The bag then feels like it is a hundred pounds, but it is really just more compact.

We then drove to the airport. I was alright just thinking about how my flight was going to be and getting nervous about leaving everything I know and being thrown into a country that I do not know the language, besides, horse, dog and sink, things I am sure I will not need.

We waited in line to check in and I paid $50 to check my second bag on my Lufthansa flight. Then went over to Chick –Fil-A and ate my last meal in the United States for the next six months.

My mom and Steven walked me over to my gate and said bye, no one cried. Then I got to my gate and realized everyone around me was speaking German and I started getting hot flashes and trying to remember why I was putting myself through this. Why was I leaving everything I have ever known? My mom, dad, Steven, Tucker, everything. And I had never felt so alone in y life, I mean there were 300 people around me but I could not communicate with any of them and I just wanted my mom. lol

I started to tear up a little but held it together and finally boarded my flight. I sat next to an older married couple from the U.S that now live in Luxembourg. They were so nice and assured my I would love Innsbruck. When the plane was taking off the woman even asked me if I needed to hold her hand!

The flight took forever, the food was pretty gross, the first meal was chicken and mashed potatoes, or paper and water I should say, the chicken was tough and of coarse they do not have sharp knives to cut it with so I gave up. For some reason all of the flight attendants would speak to me in German, they would speak English to the people next to me and then switch to German for me, idk how long it took her to realize I speak English.

The meal towards the end of the flight was egg and spinach and something I thought was potatoes but it was definitely not. The egg was dry and so was the spinach, I love spinach but I couldn’t eat it. So I gave up again.

I watched “Morning Glory” with Rachel McAdams, I thought it was going to be great from the commercials but it wasn’t, then I tried falling asleep. FAIL. I cannot sleep sitting up.

So I finally landed in Frankfurt and they unloaded us right there on the runway and put us on shuttles to bring us to the terminal. The older woman said she has been flying from the U.S to Germany for 20 years and they had never done that before, just my luck.

So there were not even decent enough to bring us to the inside of the terminal but the outside, so we had to go through the front of the airport and have our passports checked. The man drilled me and acted like he wasn’t going to let me through. But he did. Then the crowd moved to security. They do not make you take your shoes of there. So I put everything in bins and sent it through, of coarse the sensor went off a hundred times and I ended up taking my shoes off anyway, getting felt up, all over by a German woman with a metal detector, then she said I was fine. I look over and another security guy is going through my carry-on, apparently metal bracelets look like bombs.

I had the next three hours to sit and wait for my flight. The bathrooms were so nice and clean and private, the sinks and stalls are in separate rooms and each toilet is full enclosed, so basically no children will crawl or peak under your stall, which has happened to me multiple times before in the states. I also learned that the toilets have two buttons, one for number one and one for number two, very interesting!

Outside of the bathroom was this weird looking box/room type thing that was clear. I figured out it is for smokers, they make them sit in a filtered box. Hahahaha.

So for this flight we walked down a hallway, down stairs, outside, onto a shuttle, which took us on a what felt like 15 minute drive to our plane. THEN there were a bunch of exchange students talking next to me that really thought we were being punk’d… our plane had propellers.

I have never been so scared to get on an aircraft in my life. The 25 of us that could actually fit on the plane, walked up the steps and took our seats. I buried my head in my book, “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”, and tried to tune out the loud shaking of the plane. The man next to me passed out, practically on my shoulder, until we were in sight of the Alps.

OMG, they are AMAZING, I didn’t pull out my camera because electronics were supposed to be off and I really did not want to risk it on this sorry excuse for a plane.

We, again, got off the plane on the runway at the airport in Innsbruck. Which really isn’t an airport at all, it is a runway with a building next to it, you don’t even need a shuttle, you get off the plane and walk right inside to get your bag, I don’t even know why they bother bringing your bags inside.

I managed to get my two huge bags, carry on, and purse into the next room, which is where people pick you up, there were two benches in there. Haha I waited about three minutes and then Johanna pulled up to pick me up. Her and Matt helped me get my bags to the car and she drove us to our hostel.

More to come in the next post!

Tschuss!!


(if you click on the photo it will get larger)

PHILADELPHIA

I went to Philadelphia for the weekend and I thought this would be a good chance for me to blog, pre-Europe.

Steven and I flew up Friday morning and landed in Philly with snow all over the place! I then took my first cab ride ever! Which was interesting. Our driver was on his cell phone talking about how he had to call the cops because of a mexican drug dealer he picked up has to be involved in the botox scandal from this hotel and then the cops abused his car and all the details in between. (http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local-beat/Tourist-Dies-After-Butt-Implant-Procedure-at-Philly-Hotel-Source-115583299.html)

We finally made it to the Philadelphia downtown Marriott. Checked in, got settled, and then began our 2 mile trek to Geno's for some cheese steaks. Which were AMAZING! But I liked the cheese fries better, seriously best cheese fries ever, I do not even know how they did it!


The walk was not what I expected, everyone has always tried to scare me out of liking Philly, but I got an entirely new view during this trip, there were kids getting out of school and walking to their super cute/ old school town houses, some guys were moving a couch into their new place, there were family owned shops all over the place and bicycles everywhere.


12th street really is adorable. I couldn't stop taking pictures, I was shocked that cars could even fit down some of the alleys, they were very tiny.


That night we went to a little bar called Finn McCools for dinner. I had the most amazing salad. It had cinnamon pears, candied walnuts, grapes, bleu cheese crumbles, and a vinagrette dressing. I would go back to Philly just for that salad. We called it an early night and went back to our room, with an awesome view.


The next morning we went over to the Reading Terminal Market for breakfast.


But not before putting on the amazing under armor, cold gear, it keeps you warm and makes you feel like a super hero!


The Amish people from Lancaster own a few booths at the market in there so we decided to eat there. I had french toast and expected it to be great but it wasn't.

We then took a taxi over to the Philadelphia Zoo. I was shocked at how close you actually get to the animals there, and a little disappointed at how small some of their cages were. The alligator area was very depressing, smallest tank I have ever seen a 6 ft alligator in. Oh and I fell in love with this little monkey guy!


One of Stevens friends from elementary school was planning on meeting us at the penitentiary and we thought it was close to the zoo so we started walking. It was much farther than we expected. Finally a cab rolls around and then literally drove us around the corner.

The Eastern State Penitentiary was definitely interesting, I learn a lot and had a great time seeing the haunted areas, all while freezing my ass off. (I need to get used to it I guess) We even got to see Al Capone's cell!


Next we drove over to Tony Lukes to compare cheese steaks. We ate at the actual restaurant section, with a horrible server. She was so rude. I wasn't surprised because we were in Philly, but up to that point everyone had been very polite. There is always one I guess! Tony Lukes did not even compare to Geno's.

We then drove down to South Street with Ryan and Erin. It was just a bunch of shops and bars, we had a lot of fun and I got a great beanie for Austria, Erin found it for me, thanks girl!

On Sunday we went back to the market for breakfast but we tried a crepe place this time. Strawberry, banana, nutella? YES PLEASE!!


After breakfast we took the subway over to the Wells Fargo Center to see the Flyers game. I was so creeped out the whole time. We had a hard time finding the actual entrance, we kept going down the exits, that had no one in them except a few homeless people. We made it to the right place and it was so cheap! $3 for both of us, the cab ride would have been around $30, so I guess the creepiness was worth it.


Steve made us get to the Wells Fargo Center super early, of course. An hour and half before the doors opened to be exact. But that did give me time to buy my first foam finger.


Unfortunately, the Flyers lost. They didn't even score a goal. I know Steve was sad because we came all that way and didn't even get to hear the goal horn go off. Although, we did get to hear a bunch of "HEY REF, YOU SUCK" chants that were very intense! I loved it!


After the game we met up with Shannon, her boyfriend, and his friend. We walked under 95 to get to their car, which was also, uh, interesting. haha, ice was everywhere, and mud, so either way if you went down it was not going to be good!

We made it to the car and went over to Chickies and Petes for dinner and drinks. Dan ordered the first "tower" I had ever seen! But all I was looking forward to was my crab fries! In case you have not been blessed to know of crab fries, they are perfectly fried french fries covered in old bay seasoning, with a side of melted cheese. My mouth is watering just thinking of them! Joe and Shannon were nice enough to drive us back to our hotel and we called it a night.

Monday morning we were back at the crepe place for round two!


The walking was finally getting to me and my left knee was killing me! But I sucked it up! We walked over to the Liberty Bell and the Mint, and of course the LOVE statue.


We went back to the hotel and waited in the lobby for a shuttle to pick us up and take us to the airport. I was so sad to leave : ( I will see you soon Philadelphia!!